Bound by Bandages
by Faelise
Summary: Kids can be pretty cruel, a lesson Levy learnt early on in her life. His heart is made of metal, hellbent on fighting, yet her kind face changes him. Their lives change for the better when they meet each other. AU
1. Torn Pages

"Give it back!"

"You're gonna have to make me first!"

The soles of her sandals pushed deep into the gravel below, sending her body into the air as her hands extended towards the blue sky above. Her fingertips stretched out for the desired item, but with no success. She watched on as they carelessly tossed her beloved book between them, dangling it just out of her reach, teasing her like an animal with food.

"You want this?" one of them called out to her, bending down and towering over her small stature, proceeding to stick out his tongue at her misfortune. Their foul laughter echoed throughout the area, continuing to dangle the book over the fresh puddles that sat on the floor below as she watched on in horror.

"You're such a loser Levy, friends don't exist in books" the ringleader of the group spoke out, opening the book and viciously turning its pages like a beast ripping apart its prey.

"I- I have friends!" She protested, stomping her foot onto the hard ground, her small fists forming balls at her sides.

"Words don't count" he grunted back, staring deep into her honey eyes as his fingers ran across the edge of the pages "Besides, they can easily be taken out" His fingers slowly pinched the pages in his grasp, tearing them away from their spine and onto the floor.

"Stop! Please!" She lunged forward at him in an attempt to stop him, only to be met with the cold hard floor as her body plummeted to the ground. Her head slowly lifted to the sight of her precious pages slowly floating through the air down to their watery graves. Her bloodied palms attempted to move her from the ground, but her attempts were met with a hard force pushing on her back, obstructing her movements. Reaching out, her hands met the crumpled surface of her beloved books contents, words torn apart, the story slowly fading. Streams of tears slowly trickled their way down her rose tinted cheeks, colliding with the murky puddles around her, she just wanted it to be over. Her eyes slowly fluttered shut in an attempt to forget, to stop it from happening, but the sound of their bitter laughs continued to fill her mind. They were animals.

"Hey! leave her alone" a distant yet familiar voice called out between the disarray, shortly followed by what sounded like a stampede, their laughter disappearing along with their fun. "Hey! get back here you cowards" the soft voice came closer before it finally found itself beside her. Opening her watery eyes, she was met with a soft sun colour backed by the light blue sky. The figure slowly reached out, gently grabbing onto her hand as they pulled her to her feet. For a few seconds, she wavered on her feet, trying to find the strength to even stand, watching on as the figure collected up a few crumpled parts of her book. "Oh Levy" the words drifted in the air as she slowly collapsed into the voice's arms, pulling her closer as her eyes began to water again.

"I just wanted to read Lucy" she softly murmured into her friends chest.

"I know, I know" Lucy's hand gently pushed Levy into her body as she moved wet azure curls from her friends face. The pair quietly rocked in each others arms, the soft spring winds blowing down onto their skin.

"Levy!" a set of voices called out from behind her along with the sound of shoes against the gravel. Her head slowly rose from Lucy's chest to find her friends Jet and Droy accompanied by a tall figure running towards her.

"Levy, we were so worried" one of the boys spoke as he bent down to catch his breath, his cheeks puffy and red from his run.

"Those boys in the year above are gonna get it" the other spoke as he raised his fists and attempted to run after the long gone harassers.

"No you will not" the tall figure moaned as she grabbed onto the collars of the boys "what they did was wrong and they will be punished, but we don't need anymore fighting" her soft smile fell towards Levy, her gaze falling to Levy's bloodied knees.

"But!" the boys called out in unison, struggling under the figures grip.

"Miss is right" Levy slowly removed herself from her friends grasp and made her way towards her friends. "Just leave them be, it's alright" a forced smile made its way onto her face in an attempt to reassure her worried friends.

"Now then, you kids go and play whilst I take Levy to the nurse ok?" Her soft touch placed itself on Levys shoulder, smiling down at the blue haired girl beside her. As the pair walked inside, several moans and protest came from her friends, but she simply smiled their way, even though she wanted to break down and cry, she had to be strong for them. Walking through the cold interior of the school, the silent corridor seemed to stretch on for miles, with every step feeling like the millionth in her tiny shoes. Her attention averted out the window, watching her classmates play happily out in the sunshine, basking in its warm rays, a contrast to the dark, confined room she stepped into. A small light blinked on and off in the corner, illuminating the dull, cream walls of the nurses office.

"Not again" a compassionate voice filled the air, coming from a woman that slowly rose from her chair, moving towards Levy

"I'm afraid so, at least it's not as bad as last time" her teacher spoke quietly to the school nurse, conversing on the subject of the bullies as Levy gingerly sat on the edge of the plastic seat pushed up against the wall. After their conversation ended, the teacher shot Levy a sympathetic smile before leaving Levy alone with the nurse, a woman she was now familiar with considering her repeated visits to the nurse. Her faded pink hair sat atop her head, crimson eyes jumping around the room as she grabbed her utensils.

"Was it those same boys?" she asked softly, moving closer to Levy as she began attending to the bruises. The cold rubbing alcohol made contact with her skin, causing her to squirm in pain, looking away from her battered body, attempting to focus on anything but the pain rushing through her body.

"Yes Ma'am" she replied quietly through gritted teeth, her eyes fixated on the sole painting on the wall. In its golden frame, a small girl played with what appeared to be a dragon, a huge smile on her face as she hugged the creature.

"Well, they'll be inside for a while now don't worry" her face tilted upwards, her eyes meeting Levy's as she spoke, her small smile making Levy relax in her care. "What about that book you told me about last week, how was it?"

"They um.. They destroyed it" tears welled in her eyes at the thought of such a wonderful story being pulled apart and tarnished, left to be carried away by the wind.

"Another one? that's the second one this month" her hand stopped tending to the bruised knees before her, slowly letting her fingers fall back into her palms as they balled into fists.

"It's alright, honestly, it was just a book" she pushed a smile onto her face, holding back the river of emotions attempting to burst out of her eyes.

"Hmm" her eyes glanced up at Levy, unsure of her answer, but knowing the child, she didn't want to speak about it. "Show me your hands" Levy complied and her palms turned to face the ceiling, revealing dried up blood surrounding the several cuts along her skin. The nurse gently placed patterned plasters across the scars, watching Levy smile at the pattern they possessed: Small lilies dotted across the peach surface of the plasters as bumblebees flew around collecting their sweet yellow pollen.

"Thank you so much" Levy raised from her chair and straightened out the hem of her muddied dress before skipping towards the door.

"Hold on just a second" a soft voice stopping her dead in her tracks, causing her to turn round and found the nurse delving into one of her many drawers filled with a mixture of random items. After a few seconds of rumbling, she eventually pulled out a thin piece of paper adorned with several ribbons and a stamp. "This is for you, use it to check out a book in the library and read it" her hand reached out towards Levy, offering her the slip.

"Than.. Thank you Ma'am" A smile beamed across Levy's face as she quickly skipped out into the less than empty hallway, with one end filled with a bunch of figures slowly headed her way. Coming into the light, their features came into view, a bunch of angry and aggravated faces made their way down the corridor. It was them. She watched them stop in front of the headmasters office before being ushered in my a harsh voice located behind a door.

"Levy!" a voice called out of the other end of the hallway, grabbing her attention as they spoke her name. They were familiar, but the figure still unclear. Running towards the light, she was met with someone who could make everything better.


	2. An Encounter

Her small feet couldn't carry her any faster, rushing down the hallway into the soft embrace of her mother, the one person who she felt truly safe with. In her mother's arms, no amount of bullies could harm her or her precious books, she was safe.

"Oh Levy" Her mother's arms quickly wrapped around her daughter, cuddling her close into her chest as she placed kisses all over her head. Her fingers embezzled themselves between her ocean coloured locks, the colour that made her fall in love all those years ago. Her hand caringly rubbed Levy's back as the warm glow of her smile illuminated the corridor. "Lets go home so you can rest, ok?" her legs straightened out as she rose from the floor, entwining her fingers with her child's as she led her through the school yard towards her car. A fence lined itself around the car park, separating the children's playground from the vehicles, but vision from either end was not obstructed. Approaching the car, Levy turned at hearing her named being called from across the fence, finding her friends lined up on the other side, waving and smiling as she entered the open door. She comfortably fell back into the soft fabric of her seat, her arms fidgeting with the soft interior of the car. Entering the car, her mother traced over the buttons of the radio, flickering between static and overplayed music, eventually shutting it off, leaving the car in silence as she exited the car park.

The drive home was one of Levy's favourite parts of the day. She blissfully gazing out of the window at the surrounding scenery; from the hustling streets of town, to the quieter suburban roads lined with trees. Rays of sunshine would flow over her skin like waves, illuminating the dark interior of the car. Resting her head atop her palm, she felt shocks of pain ripple through her hands at the added weight, but the extra inches of view she gained were worth it. Spring had always been a beautiful time of year, with cherry blossom trees starting to bloom on the ride home, their soft pink colour sparkling in the sunshine. The trees were both far away from her home and school, meaning she had never truly been near the trees, never feeling the soft touch of blossom between her fingers. She craved that feeling every time she passed the park, watching wildlife thrive around their thick trunks, scurrying up and down its bark. One day she told herself, she would be there too.

"Levy dear" her mother's voice broke her daydream, focusing her attention back into the cold interior of the car. "I know those boys aren't very nice, but I can't always come to save you like this, especially when I'm working." Her hand moved from atop the gear stick and onto her daughter's soft hand, rubbing the skin under her thumb. "Your father has spoken to the school and they're trying to help, but they told me you weren't inside for lunch" Levy's eyes fell from her mother's face and back out of the window, not daring to catch her eyes.

"I'm sorry, I just didn't feel like eating" The words escaped her lips, yet she knew her lies would one day been found out, the grumbling of her stomach only being silenced by her guilt.

"Well, seeing as you haven't eaten yet, why don't we go get some ice cream?" Levy's eyes beamed with delight as her hand grabbed onto her mother's, nails digging into her flesh from excitement

"Really?" she stared at her mother, watching a small smile creep onto her face at her daughter's excitement.

"Really" as they pulled up to a red light, her mother's deep hazel eyes met her pools of honey, ruffling her azure hair under her hand. Levy's heartbeat quickened at the thought of the sweet gooey treat awaiting her. Looking out of the window, her wonderoud (wondered) view of the trees was blocked out by a car beside her, a pair of crimson eyes staring out his own window. She watched the stranger as he appeared to roll his eyes before meeting hers, not daring to break their eye contact. His expression was the exact opposite of hers: Angry and awake, yet he didn't seem to be listening to man speaking in the front of the car. As the light turned green and her car turned right towards the ice cream parlour, her eyes continued to watch the car, seeing the boys face grow further away from her view. Maybe he needed ice cream too.

* * *

"Get in the car" the gruff voice called out, ushering the boy into the back of the car. His boots trudged across the floor, tempted to jump deep into the potholes filled with water residing by the car wheels, but he was already in enough trouble. Sliding into the seat, he watched the door slam behind him and his father enter the car, locking it before starting the car. Listening to the old car just manage to start, his arms folded across his chest, leaning his head upon the shaky windowside. Crimson eyes glared at the crowd of eyes on him, watching as they exited the parking area, he hated them all. He hated school, every time he finally found something fun to do, they always punished him, well they couldn't anymore.

"You couldn't have waited till the end of the school year to get kicked out could you?" the tall figure in front groaned. Gajeel made a small noise and rolled his eyes, not caring about being kicked out at all. "This is the second school you've been kicked out of this year! What was wrong with this one?" His father's head quickly glanced back at his son, slumped over by the window, not caring about his actions.

"They couldn't put up a fight" a small smirk formed on his face, hidden away from his father's judging eyes.

"You shouldn't be fighting in the first place, your brother fits in at Sabertooth well, maybe if you tried to make friends you would."

"Well his friends are stupid like him."

"Gajeel!" His father slammed onto the breaks in the middle of the road, turning back to him. "Your brother looks up to you, Rogue hasn't had it easy so be nice" his lips slightly parted to reveal gritted shut canines, his blood red eyes staring at his son who simply shrugged it off. The car started again before falling into silence, leaving the pair to their own clashing thoughts about the events. Gajeel's eyes watched out of the glass window, cursing all the smiles he passed on the trip. Journeying onward, their route home took them through secluded roads surrounded by tall trees, everything from the tallest of pines, to the thickest of oaks. He liked that they blocked out the sunlight, plunging the ride into darkness, the blackness of his hair blending into the darkening shadows of the world outside. And then they turned up. Those damn cherry blossom trees. Their bright pink petals bloomed every spring and so every spring he would curse their existence. The way they gently shook in the smallest of breezes, the way they streamed pink light on his skin, the way they floated to the floor like feathers, he hated it all. The old car continued down the empty road, making spluttering noises here and there as if it was dying, but he didn't care to notice, he was too busy in his thoughts. He hated that school and had done everything in an attempt to get out, now he'd be free all day to mess around, to fight the world and destroy those damn trees.

Eventually coming to a stop at a red light, his view of the trees was finally replaced with something else. His crimson eyes glanced over the vehicle adjacent to his, surveying its clean condition compared to his own. The sunlight beamed inside it's clear windows, illuminating the bright ball of blue inside. Her pointed chin, her rosey cheeks, her warm smile, his exact opposite. He scanned her face, then her hands, then her car. He hated it. She was soft and delicate looking like those damn cherry blossoms, one touch and she'd crumple in your hands. His crimson pools met with her honey brown eyes, locking onto her gaze as she watched him back.

"Did you hear me?" His father's gruff tone snapping back from his thoughts. "I said you're starting at Fairy Tail tomorrow, and you better behave" the engine growled and the wheels set in motion. His head turned back as they took a left, watching the sea blue colour fade from his vision, the hell was she so happy about?


	3. A Rough Start

"I don't wanna go!"

"Gajeel Redfox you will do as you're told!" his father's hands grabbed onto the crumpled collar of his shirt. He was clad in a smart white shirt, buttoned to the top, covered in a sleek black jacket accompanied by a small tie. His long, black trousers stopped nicely before his pumps, tied in neat knots with assistance from his father. Squirming under his father's fiddling, his eyes fell onto his brother, silently watching the affair from the other end of the kitchen table, quietly smiling at Gajeel, which he unfortunately took as a smirk.

"Whats so funny jerk?" Gajeel spat at his younger brother, glaring deep into his brother's own pools of red.

"I wasn't staring, I just thought you looked nice" Rogue lowered his head down, averting his gaze to anything but the well dressed ball of fury across the table.

"Stupid you mean" his arms crossed against his chest, wriggling under the grasp of his father.

"Behave. It's your first day and you have to make a good impression, now go pack your bag" his hands released from his son, sending him to his room in order to collect his diminishing school supplies. Furrowing between piles of his old and ripped clothes, he managed to scrounge a half chewed pencil and some other assorted items along with his favourite pair of worn down trainers. Shoving them under his things, he slung the strap across his shoulder before moping down the stairs. He wanted freedom, not more stupid school.

After being ushered into the car, his eyes averted to the world passing them by; those damn cherry blossom trees still standing in the morning light. He knew he wasn't going to Sabertooth, yet they were still on the route, aggravating him before he even got to the place. The old car eventually slowed before pulling into an open space amongst other vehicles, they were all so clean and shiny. Exiting the car, he watched the other students rush towards the doors, merrily going to what Gajeel thought of as a 6 hour prison. How could they be so gleeful about this shit? It's school not a fight club.

"Gajeel" his brothers voice called his name.

"What ya want kid?"

"Here" his hand slowly reached out of the open window, holding out a closed box full of items. "It's an emergency box, for emergencies" a soft smile grew on his face as he handed over the box, watching his lovingly crafted work be shoved harshly into his brothers pocket probably to be forgotten forever.

"I'll give this to the kids I beat up gihi" his hand formed a fist and collided with Rogue's before moving away from the window. His eyes fell to the front of the car, watching his father glare at him, telling him to behave.

"If I hear one thing-"

"I know I know, I'll behave" Gajeel spoke in a monotone voice, his hands moving in the air as he spoke, watching as his father gave him a quick nod before leaving to take Rogue to school. Beady eyes waited for the car to disappear around the corner before starting to head for the exit, he couldn't get in trouble there if he didn't even show up. Shined up black pumps headed towards the gates, before his eyes fell upon her. She quickly brushed past his view, her tiny legs running towards the door, her bag bashing into her side as she pushed on.

"Hey!" he called out for her, but the azure colour of her hair disappeared from his view into the doors. Without thinking, his legs started moving, taking him inside of the school to chase after her. He had to know. A glimmer of blue caught his attention as is sped around a corner, blending into a crowd of people. Damn she was small. Pushing through the hallway bombarded with people, he barely caught that bright blue colour as it darted in through a door accompanied by a taller, blond haired girl. He called out again, continuing forward through the crowd, until a voice erupted from the noise of shoes against wooden flooring.

"Nice clothes loser, you going out dancing?" Gajeel turned to find a shorter male with spiked up maroon hair imitating some sort of dance as his friends watched on. His crimson eyes fell over his attire. Crap, I forgot to change. He marched over towards the group of boys, grabbing the boy by the scruff of his shirt. Gajeel lifted him up to his own height, albeit only 2 inches, but still lifting his feet off the ground.

"The fuck you say about me?" Gajeel's teeth gritted together, a snarl escaping his lips as he stared over the boy in his hands.

"You wanna dance pretty boy?" the boy smirked at Gajeel before placing his hands on Gajeel's chest, pushing himself away from his grip and back onto the floor.

"If you wanna fight, I'm game" the pair both readied their fists, becoming encased within a circle of suspenseful spectators, cheering on the mornings events. They eyed each other carefully, watching as they slowly moved closer towards each other. Cheers and jeers arose for them both, the crowd chanting the name Cobra over and over again, whilst some called out for the new boy to back off.

"You don't know who you're fighting" Cobra spoke, throwing his large jacket into the crowd, causing several girls to scream.

"Neither do you" Gajeel snarled back, his sharp canines visible through the gap between his lips as he licked them in pleasure. As they prepared themselves, a small figure pushed its way through the crowd into the circle, their face red as they struggled to regain their breath

"It's.. It's The.. It's the principal.. everyone split!" As soon as he had appeared, the figure ran off, dragging several people with him towards a set of doors. The spectators had quickly dispersed towards different rooms, as Cobra and his friends escaped into a classroom, pushing Gajeel onto the floor as he passed. The hall fell silent as the sound of cheers disappeared, only the faint sound of footsteps echoing through the hall. Lying still on the floor, his eyes looked up to find a small figure looming over him, their hand stretched out for Gajeel's.

"I'm guessing you're Redfox" a kind smile formed on the man's face as he assisted Gajeel up from the floor.

"Yeah so what if I am?" Gajeel bit back as he dusted himself down, not caring too much about the state of his attire, hoping that if it got ruined, he wouldn't have to wear it again.

"Welcome to Fairy Tail my boy, let's get you to class" the man directed his hand down the corridor and began walking down the empty hallway as Gajeel followed. Passing by several rooms, he looked inside at all the happy faces situated inside, smiling away at the work on the board. Children younger than him, children older than him, he didn't care about any of them, how could they be so happy here? Passing one of the rooms, he spotted a flash of blue as he walked by the window. It was her. She sat beside the window, gleeful as the day before, happily talking to the surrounding students.

"What's wrong?" the voice in front called out, not realizing he had stopped outside of the window. His eyes fell back to the corridor and shrugged his shoulders before he continued walking behind the man. Eventually, they stopped outside of a room and entered through the door.

"Hello students, I brought along the new student, seems he got a bit lost." The man placed his hand on Gajeel's back and softly pushed him to the front of the room, directly in front of the class. They all stared at him, murmuring amongst themselves about their new classmate. Crimson eyes swept the room, eventually landing on the maroon haired boy and his band of followers. Their eyes met for a second before glancing away, continuing to eye his new class "mates".

"Thank you Principal Makarov" the lady sat behind the desk chimed before the door shut, leaving the room in silence. "Well, please introduce yourself Mr Redfox" she moved to stand behind him, blissfully smiling away at her new student.

"No thanks" he spoke before moving towards the back of the room, quickly slumping into a vacant seat, opening his bag and pulling out his stuff along with his shoes. After quickly slipping off the pumps for something more comfortable, he looked up to find himself being watched by several pairs of eyes as the class continued onward. A pair of ladies continually glanced back his way, before giggling to themselves and repeating the process. One of them had strawberry red hair that contrasted with his eyes, whilst the other had hair as white as snow. The other pair of eyes that continued to watch him were those of Cobra, smirking his was as he chuckled with his friends. Gajeel hated the class and he hadn't been there 5 minutes. He wanted to leave already, but not before giving that jackass a nice punch to the jaw to stop him smirking. Today was going to be a long day.


	4. Tough to Swallow

After being trapped to the confines of his desk, a large bell sound chimed throughout the school, signalling his release. Stuffing his things into his bag, he watched as the girls linked arms, still staring back at him as they walked out of the classroom. The day had been going slow and knowing it was only halfway over was torture, but at least he had a chance to scope out the school along with its pupils. Gajeel slung the strap over his shoulder and headed for the door, only to be stopped by a firm grasp on his arm.

"Where do you think you're going?" the cocky voice called out behind him

"Lunch" Gajeel shook his arm free of the boy's grasp and continued to head out of the door, only to barricaded in by a wall of students. Turning, he found Cobra sat atop one of the tables, his arms pushed back for support as his back arched. His eyes were small slits of purple situated in white, reminding Gajeel of a snake; clearly that was where the name Cobra came from.

"I have an offer for you, sit down." His hand beckoned for Gajeel's presence at the seat below his feet. Crimson eyes glared at the man, his smile crooked as he watched Gajeel move closer to the chair, only to kick the wooden seat to the floor.

"Tell me what you want, I'm starved." Gajeel rested his palm on the table as he leaned in towards Cobra, their faces only inches apart.

"In this place, you fight, or get beaten up" he pushed himself up from the desk, slowly moving around the table as he spoke "You can do it alone, or with a group"

"What's this gotta do with me" Gajeel groaned back, watching as Cobra headed towards the door.

"Fight me, or fight with me, you decide." Merging with his gang, Cobra disappeared from sight down the hall, leaving Gajeel alone with his thoughts and a proposition.

Walking down the hallway, his eyes glanced out the window, watching as the younger kids played outside in the sun as it shone brightly above them. The rays of the midday was met with a soft wind, blowing through the growing leaves of the tall trees that surrounded the school. He continued to walk, noting the emptiness of the hall, yet a large sound continued to grow as he made his way towards the end. Eventually, he reached a large room, filled with large tables, filled and tray after tray of plain "mush". He observed as kids scraped the barely solid meal onto each others plates in an attempt to remove it from their own, causing arguments and small fights to occur. Curious as to why they would do such a thing, he made his way over towards the long line of bodies slowly shuffling forward to be served. Their eyes lacked life, the only emotion they seemed to show was one of despair and even hints of pain, was the food really that bad? Reaching the front, a large woman dressed in white thrusted a tray into his grasp, almost pushing it directly into his body. Ladling the substance onto his tray, he watched as a small smirk arose on her face.

"Ya must be new kid" she spat his way, returning the ladle back to the pool of mush, watching it slowly sink back out of sight.

"So what if I am?" he bit back, not daring to come off as weak.

"Enjoy the food" Her smile was big, yet there was no happiness behind it. Pushed aside, he watched as the line continued to trundle forward, another student receiving their meal, that same wicked smile sat on the woman's face. Finding a seat, he looked around at the bodies surrounding him, their spoons lost deep inside of the food. They all looked around at him, noting the larger serving upon his tray, whispering and gasping at the size of his meal. Deciding not to fight on an empty stomach, he delved his spoon into the lump, letting it slowly sink inside. Pulling out a hefty amount, he turned the spoon upside down, watching the gravity defying meal stay glued to the cutlery. Not caring about this fact, he parted his lips, pushing the contents of the spoon inside his mouth, letting it absorb all the moisture inside of his mouth as he chewed. Bite after bite, the taste of the meal changed along with it's consistency: becoming mildly spicy and runny before forming a hard solid stuck to the roof of his mouth. Children watched on, waiting and anticipating the inevitable moment he either threw up or spat out the food. But the moment never came. Time after time, his spoon would plunge into the yellow mountain on his tray, consuming more and more as time passed by.

Tray empty and stomach full, he looked around to find so many pairs of eyes on him, smiling at his "valiant effort". Their whispers of support became voiced as several spectators began cheering, even applauding at the sight. Choosing to ignore the uproar of noise, he walked casually toward the door, noting the bemused eyes watching him from behind the counter. Both ladle and mouth dropped, she stared at him as he placed away his tray and carelessly strolled out of the room.

Exiting the cafeteria and walking out into the quiet hallway, he noticed several figures stood at the end, blocking his exit. Walking towards them, maroon strands lit up in the sunlight as their faces came into view.

"So?" Cobra asked as he watched Gajeel approach.

"I'm in."

* * *

 **I'm sorry this chapter is shorter than the others, but I promise the next one will be longer! As always, reviews are really appreciated if you have the time :)**


	5. It's Time

**Finally updating this after what seems like forever, and for that I apologise. I can't really make excuses and I doubt you want to hear about my personal life, but I do hope you enjoy this new chapter, review and things like that are really appreciated!**

* * *

The first week of Gajeel's time at Fairy Tail had flown by without trouble, mostly because a majority the school had heard about his triumph over the school food, something he was still clueless about since he had enjoyed the meal. Rumors had also been speculating about why he had been kicked out of Sabertooth; he had heard everything from him hitting a teacher to even burning down the place. Although he was tempted to play along with their little ideas, he also liked the air of mystery around him, watching as people whispered between themselves as he walked down hallways. Aside from Cobra and his little gang, he had made no real attempt at making friends, realizing that if these people could possibly be happy in the confines of the school building, then they had to be deluded. All throughout the days, he saw people smiling and laughing, even cooperating with the teachers, eager to answer questions and assist in anyway possible. He hated it.

Walking inside of the classroom, he noted the two girls across the room staring his way. He had his suspicions that all the rumors flying around the school had come from their mouths, observing the way the white haired girl occasionally jotted something down into a small notebook after watching him. Moving to his seat, he slumped down in the chair, resting his head onto the wooden desk and shutting his eyes, hoping that everyone would leave him alone if they thought he was asleep. Attempting to blur out the loud noises of his classmates, he eventually heard a large bang before the room fell silent. After a few seconds of barely audible breaths and whispers, the sound of heavy footsteps enthralled the room as chairs began scraping against the floor. Gone was the soft yet annoying voices of his classmates, instead, a deep, gruff voice spoke out.

"Your usual teacher couldn't make it into school today, and so I will be teaching you instead. My name is Mr Dreyer and you shall address me as Sir."

In what seemed to be unison, the whole room chanted back a loud "Good Morning Sir" whilst Gajeel continued to remain quiet behind his desk. He didn't particularly care who was going to be spewing out the ridiculous lessons the school attempted to teach him, it was always in one ear and out of the other. Mumbles of words continued to fill the air as he attempted to block them out, hoping his seat at the back of the room would assist him in not being spotted. Eventually the noise of the room faded as he drifted off to sleep, swirls of deep blue filling his mind as he escaped the classroom. The sound of a guitar began to play as his body seemed to drift through what felt like space. And then it stopped. The guitar became deep, whilst the deep sea blue surrounding him turned black, and then a bright colour.

"Young man." Gajeel heard that same gruff voice from before, only it was closer. Slowly opening his eyes and adjusting to the light, he found himself being loomed over by a tall figure

"Who the heck are you?" he spoke as he raised his head from the table, eyes trailing round the room, noting that several pairs were staring at him in turn.

"I, am Mr Dreyar. Note that i share the same last name as the principal, so pull another stunt like this again in my classroom and you will be expelled." Watching the man move from his side back to the front of the room, he straightened up, choosing to ignore the particular sets of eyes that lingered on him longer than the others. Of course those girls were watching him, as usual. But they weren't the only ones. From the corner of his eye he felt someone else watching him, almost judging him. Cobra. Although Gajeel had agreed to becoming part of his "gang", they had not really spoken to each other since he joined, only occasionally nodding each others way when passing by in the halls. Unsure as to why he was gaining such attention, he focused back on the board, curious as to how this rather tall man could ever be related to such a short principal.

Time continued to tick on slowly, with the math lesson dragging on for what felt like eons in Gajeel's mind, the numbers on the board becoming more and more blurred as time passed on. It wasn't that math was that boring of a subject, but hearing everything through such a monotone voice made it all seem so dull. Deciding to instead watch out the window that connected with the hallway, he saw several girls skipping by happily. Despite their smiles and giggles, they were dull. Blonde hair, brunette hair and other colours passed by, until blue curls bounced into view, that same smile still on her face. How could someone be so damn happy all the time?

"Psst." What sounded like a snake distracted him from the window and brought his focus back into the room. Looking around, he eventually caught the eye of the boy sitting next to him, recognizing that he was one of Cobra's lackeys. "Psst", he sounded out again, waving about a small, folded up piece of paper within his fingers. The boy tentatively leaned out towards Gajeel, stretching his hand in an attempt to pass it along. Just as Gajeel's fingertips brushed against the paper, it seemingly disappeared into the sky. Realization dawned on Gajeel as he looked up to see that same tall figure appear and stop the transaction of the note.

"You wouldn't be passing notes around in my class now, would you?" Raven black eyes stared down at Gajeel, his large beard almost touching the top of Gajeel's head.

"I didn't pass it, I was receiving it." His eyes glared back at the tall man, sharp teeth barely on show as they slipped through Gajeel's smirk.

"Stand up and read it boy." The man somewhat returned Gajeel's smirk, yet his weird smile had what appeared to be a much stronger effect on the room. Moving from his seat, he reached up and retrieved the small slip of paper from the man's grasp, slowly unfolding it as the room watched on.

"It's time" he spoke out. As the words left his lips, he looked around the room at his classmates, noting they were just as confused as he was. And then he saw him. Those snake like eyes watching him from across the room, of course it was him.

"Well, I'm not exactly sure what "It's time" for young man, but seeing as you'll be having detention in here for the whole of lunch, you won't be finding out."

"I didn't even write the damn note old man!" Gajeel moaned back.

"Well, I guess it's time you were punished for your behaviour." Silently laughing to himself, he turned around and headed back toward the front of the room, leaving Gajeel stood (standing) at the back of the room whilst his class looked on. Returning back to his seat, he attempted to shut out the barely audible noise of his classmates giggles as they watched him slump back in the chair.

Eventually, the lesson finished and the students hurriedly exited the room, all except Gajeel. Watching as the girls giggled their way out with every step, his head fell back onto the desk as he wished for the day to be over.

"This time isn't for you to sleep you know?" A loud voice called from the other end of the room. "You have things to do." His voice grew closer as he spoke this time. "Take these." A loud thump landed atop Gajeel's desk, the sound ringing inside his ears. Looking up, he saw his teacher smirking down at him, most of his body hidden behind a tall stack of books.

"I'm not reading all of those" he grumbled back, standing from his seat in an attempt to make himself look bigger.

"I'm not asking you to, take them back to the library and return right away."

"Why can't you take them?"

"You're the one getting punished here young man, now go." Watching him walk back toward the desk, Gajeel reluctantly grabbed the pile of literature before heading out of the door and down the hallway. The only reason he even knew his way around the school was due to the fact he had been dragged around on a tour against his will by a fellow student. Turning a corner at the end of the hallway, he was stopped in his tracks by a familiar face surrounded by other figures.

"What do you want?" Gajeel gruffed out as he attempted to pass by.

"It's still time, don't think you're off the hook or nothin'" he bit back as he stepped to the side, letting Gajeel walk down the hallway, but following behind him as he continued to talk. "There's someone in the library you gotta deal with for us, in and out, got it?" His voice seemed to grow quieter, yet it was closer than before, like Cobra was right next to his ear.

"What's in it for me?" He stopped outside of the library door and turned back to address Cobra head on.

"You're one of us now, aren't you?" His sharpened canines showed through his lips as he spoke. "Besides, you get to punch someone no questions asked, nobody will know it was you anyway." The idea seemed stupid, but Gajeel had been looking to pick a fight with someone since he started in this stupid place, or at least get to punch someone senseless.

"Alright, give me a minute" and with that, he turned on his feet and made his way into the library, uncharted territory in his mind. It wasn't like any form of library he'd had the misfortune of being in before, with shelves stacked way beyond his height, dim lights barely guiding his way through the seemingly never ending rows. Walking toward a seemingly well lit area, he found himself stood in front of a tall oak desk, littered with books and other assorted items. Adding to the pile of clutter, he placed the stack of books atop the desk and turned to head for the exit. Since entering, he hadn't seen or heard a soul, nobody could really be in here, it smelt too bad. Glancing down the endless rows of books, he eventually spotted a slither of blue at the opposite end.

"Hello?" He called out as he made his way down the other end, eventually finding himself towering over a head full of blue hair. It was her.

"It's you.." Her head tilted up to look deep into his eyes, that same soft smile on her face. Cogs turned his brain as he realized it was her, she was the one from the car, and now the one…

"I heard a new student started here, my name is.." Her smile faded as her focus moved from his face to his arms. "Are you alright?" She slowly stood up, her book still tight in her grasp. She watched as his hands shook slightly at his sides. She watched as his fist collided with her face. She watched as the light began to fade from her vision. And then everything went black.


	6. Pancakes and Punches

**Wow, this update was long overdue, my apologies for that. But, the net chapter is already almost done so the wait won't be too long for another update!**

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Light from the morning splashed through her blinds, illuminating the room as the sun continued to rise. Sunlight trickled it's way over the shelves of books, moving slowly from one side of the room to the other, eventually falling over her body. Remnants of last nights sleep had melted into the pillow, leaving a small trail from her opened mouth down to the sheet of the bed. As the sunlight landed on her face, her eyes scrunched closed at the bright light, only to seemingly bust open with life a few seconds later. Sitting upright, her fingers stretched up behind her head as she swivelled her legs out from under the sheets. Noting the time on the clock, she calmly moved over toward the large dresser situated across the bed and pulled out several different outfits. Neatly laying them down onto her bed, her finger hovered over them all, one minute daring to touch one outfit, and the next second, darting over to the foot of her bed. Eventually deciding on suitable attire, she dressed herself before heading downstairs.

The morning light continued to illuminate the house along with its inhabitants, and upon walking into the dining room, she watched as her mother seemingly danced around the table, her feet barely stopping to touch the floor. Strewn across the table lay a clean white sheet adorned with red roses that suitably, matched the colour of her mother's lips.

"Good morning madam!" her mother chimed her way as she moved back toward the kitchen counter.

"Morning mum!" Levy eagerly responded as she moved to sit down, her eyes glancing over the meal that awaited her.

"You seem happy today" Her mother called out from the kitchen as she continued to cook, the sweet smell of food beginning to enter the room

"Well it's sunny outside!" Levy replied, turning her body to look out the window as she did so, her eyes blissfully watching the trees sway gently in the breeze.

"I'm glad to see you're happy again after.." her mother's voice trailed off, leaving only the sound of the cooker to be heard.

"Mum.." Levy's attention returned inside, watching as her mum came back into view "I'm okay now, it was just some harmless fun." She bit her bottom lip as she replied, attempting to push back the memories of last week.

"I know.. I just don't like seeing you hurt" Her mother softly placed her hands over Levy's shoulders as she moved in front of her daughter. "Promise me you'll stay safe from now on, and no more skipping lunch you hear?"

"I promise!" Her hands moved onto her mother's before pulling them away from her shoulders down onto her lap. Their silent moment was interrupted by a large beeping sound coming from the kitchen.

"My pancakes!" Levy's mother quickly rushed into the kitchen, letting out a small ball of smoke as she pushed her way through the door. Levy couldn't help the small bubble of giggles that escaped her lips, she was glad that life was always eventful. Swinging her legs back under the table, she happily drowned her pancakes in honey and fruit, blissfully eating as she drowned out the sound from the kitchen.

"Yes, I have everything I need mum, I'll see you later!" Closing the car door behind her, she quickly waved goodbye to her mother before turning on her feet and making her way to the school entrance.

* * *

"Levy!" A familiar voice called out from behind her, attracting her attention.

"Hey Lucy!" She called out as she waited for her friend to catch up. Her friends blonde hair seemed to sparkle like gold dust as it bounced off her shoulders, not a hair out of place. "You look excited today!" She continued to speak as the pair began walking into the building.

"Well, the sun is shining and my best friend is here, so of course I'm happy!" Lucy replied, her smile practically beaming, Levy wasn't sure it could get any bigger. "How about you?"

"I'm…" before she could finish her sentence, her eyes caught a slither of maroon as they turned the corner, sending a shiver down her back. Sure, the physical pain of their torment was gone, but when she closed her eyes, the darkness encaptured her, surrounding her body and trapping her. His fang like teeth smirking her way as he stood alongside his gang, his stare burning into her heart.

"Don't worry about them" a soft voice called out beside her, returning her attention back to Lucy. "They won't hurt you again, or your books, we're here to protect you." Lucy slipped her arm through Levy's to link them, squeezing her hand as her warm smile continued to glow. "We're all your family, that's why we're here at Fairy Tail." Levy remembered the school motto about 'Never ending adventures' which she had always liked, it sounded like something out of one of her books.

"Thank you, Lucy." Squeezing her friends hand back, Levy felt happier to know that her friends were looking out for her, making her cheeks glow a rose pink as they continued to walk slowly through the halls. Time seemed to slow when Levy was with Lucy, it wasn't about where they were, or what they were doing, it was just being with her, that made her feel safe.

Making it inside of the classroom, she watched Lucy's cheeks turn a tint of pink as she spotted one of the boys that sat near her. His hair was always spiked in strange directions, it's colour rivalling the blush currently sat upon Lucy's face. Moving to their table, Levy watched her friend practically become goo, barely able to form words.

"He's so dreamy, like those cherry blossoms outside." Lucy spoke as she looked across the room to the boy.

"Lu, he set fire to himself the other day in science class.. When we were learning about the human body.."

"Well, everyone makes mistakes, and it makes him much hotter in my eyes."

"Fire usually has that effect on people." Levy quietly giggled as she looked over to the boy alongside Lucy. Levy had known him a few years longer than Lucy had, and knew he had a thing for causing trouble, rough housing with other students, and sneaking his cat onto school property. As their teacher entered the room, the girls attentions returned to the front of the classroom, their giggles fading into silence, yet their happiness stayed.

"Children, before I start today's lesson, I would like to inform you.."

"Sir?" Looking back, the girls noticed a small hand waving about in the air, a desperate face on the boy who owned it.

"Can't you wait until I'm done talking Natsu?"

"Fine.." Lowering his hand in shame, a look of disappointment washed over his face as he found the class staring back at him. Lucy and Levy now felt bad for looking his way, but for some reason couldn't stop staring. Looking back up, his eyes met with Lucy's from across the room, a small glimmer of happiness returning to his face as she sent a soft smile in his direction.

"Ladies, your attention please?" Both slowly turning back around to face the front, it was their turn to feel their share of shame, everyone's attention turned on them. "Now, as I was saying before, I'll be leaving the class early today to deal with some other work, so you'll be let out to lunch early." Clapping his hands together expecting the class to smile with glee, he was instead met with a few weak moans and smiles as they thought of the food awaiting them. "Well, anyway, let's get on with some maths." The class erupting into more groans and moans, Levy's smile only seemed to grow at the thought of more time to read. Knowing how her friends would react, she decided to keep her idea to herself, not wanting them to worry about her again.

* * *

"Enjoy your lunch children, make sure you eat properly." Packing his things into his bag, the teacher watched on as the kids excitedly cleared their desks, ready to adventure outside into the warm rays of the midday sun.

"You coming Levy?" Lucy asked as she slung her backpack over her shoulders.

"I'm just going to the bathroom first, I'll catch up with you." Clutching tight onto the strap of her bag, Levy felt bad about lying to her friend, but she just wanted some time alone.

"You don't want me to come with you?"

"I'm fine! And besides, I think someone wants to walk you to lunch." Shifting their attention to the door, Lucy was surprised to see Natsu leaning up against the doorframe, a tint of rose pink on his cheeks as their eyes met. Nudging her friend forward, Levy watched as they awkwardly conversed between the doorway, before heading down the hallway to lunch. Once her friends had turned the corner, Levy skipped out of the classroom and down to the other end of the hallway, bypassing the toilets and going straight into the library. Noting it's emptiness, she smiled to herself as she perused the aisles of books before her.

"Hello Levy! You're earlier than usual today." A soft voice encroaching from behind her, levy turned to find the librarian stood behind her, her hands filled to the brim with books.

"Ah well, our teacher had some stuff he needed to do, so we were let out early." Following the librarian as she headed towards her desk, Levy's eyes fell onto a mysterious book sitting with the others.

"And you came straight here? Of course you did." Sending a cheerful smile the young girls way, the librarian set down the books on her desk, not particularly caring about the pile of unsorted books they were joining. Noticing Levy's attention was somewhere, she tracked her gaze down to a book slightly separated from her other piles of reading material. "It's new, and so long as you brought back your other book, it's yours to read." Watching Levy's eyes light up with delight, she was happy to see her reach into her bag and pull out another book. "How did you like it?"

"It was interesting, although it was written like it was made for a child." Handing over the book, she watched the librarian stamp it before placing it over with the others.

"Well, I'll have to try and find something more to your tastes for next time, but I'm sure this will keep you till then." Grabbing the new book from the desk, she watched as Levy carefully took it in her hands, the book itself bigger than Levy's head. "I'm going to go get a bite to eat, you'll be fine in here on your own right?"

"Sure! I'll be in the corner reading." Sending the librarian a heartfelt smile, she waited for the sound of the door closing behind her before heading to the back area of the library, settling down on one of the soft chairs scattered around. Her finger lightly tracing over the spine of the book, her heart rate picked up as she opened up the pages inside. With the clean pages already making her smile, she flicked over the page to read:

 _A person's looks can deceive even the most trained eye, what may appear to be a beast, may be a wonderfully kind hearted person. It the judgement that is placed upon a person that makes them a beast. Kind words make for a kind heart._

Rereading the words, her mind crossed over many a face, that of the boy in the year above who tore apart her book. If his looks didn't make him a bad person, then his actions certainly did. Turning the pages as she silently hummed to herself, she didn't hear the door reopen back up at the front of the library, nor the footsteps that followed. Happily reading away about a young princess, her train of thought was interrupted by a nearby voice calling out.

"Hello?" The voice was close to her, the person behind it walking into view. It was him.

"It's you.." Tilting her head up to get a better view of him, her brown eyes met his, a soft smile on her face as she remembered seeing him on the car ride home. She had seen him around the school, but never for long enough to talk.

"I heard a new student started here, my name is.." Levy's smile faltered as he gaze fell down to his arms. "Are you alright?" Slowly rising to her feet, her grip on the book stayed strong. She watched as his hands began to shake at his sides. She watched his fist grow closer to her, colliding with her cheek. She watched as the light around her began to fade, before everything went black.


	7. Double Crossed

**Thank you guys for the kind reviews and 44 followers! I'm so happy people are liking this story :)**

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He hated himself. He hated what he had done. He hated that he had let himself be controlled. Raising his fist to eye level, he saw it was covered in blood, presuming the punch had opened up an old cut not yet healed on his knuckles. But it was on her, just a few tiny drops by her mouth where she lay motionless on the floor. He had hit people before, and if they bled, it made him happy. So why, why did it now make him hurt? His eyes were fixated on her body, it was so small and fragile looking on the floor, like she would break at the slightest of pain. Pain that he caused her. Bending down, his left hand hovered over her body before stopping at her face, gently closing her mouth with his fingers. Stirring slightly, her body shifted under his touch, her eyes twitching as they tried to open. Losing focus, he was snapped back into reality when he heard the library door opening, a female's voice calling out for somebody.

"Levy? Levy are you still here? I managed to sneak you in a piece of chocolate." The footsteps drawing closer to their location, Gajeel moved to stand up, his eyes still lingering on her face.

"I'm sorry." Whispering her way, he quickly hurried by another row of books, making a dash for the exit before being caught. Catching the door before it slammed shut, he pressed his hand against it and made it slide shut slowly, causing him to let out a sigh of relief as his presence seemed to go unnoticed.

"So you did it huh?" A monotone voice called out his way from the shadows, slightly catching Gajeel off guard.

"Yeah, we better leave before someone turns up." Looking around, he realised he was now surrounded by Cobra and his lackeys.

"So you hit her?"

"Yes."

"And your name is?"

"Gajeel? Is this going somewhere because I'd like to." Attempting to push his way through, his attempt was thwarted as the circle of gang members closed in.

"Thanks, that's all I needed." Moving out of the shadows, Cobra displayed a toothy smirk as he looked at Gajeel, his finger pressing down on the button of a small device.

"The hell is that?" Gajeel watched as Cobra stuffed the item deep into his pocket, laughing alongside his gang as Gajeel became more confused.

"It's your confession, can't have people thinking I did this." Turning on his feet, he dug his hands into his pockets and laughed as he looked over his shoulder to see Gajeel failing to escape the gang surrounding him. "Welcome to the gang, Black Steel Gajeel."

"Like hell I wanna be involved with you guys." Spitting on one of the gang members, he managed to push his way out slightly, stopping just behind Cobra.

"Tch. Well, the offer stands for 24 hours, let me know if you change your mind." Waving his hand, Cobra walked off down the hallway and disappeared from view, leaving Gajeel alone with the lackeys.

"Oh God! Levy!" A sharp voice called out from within the library walls, sending the gang scattering any direction they could, whilst Gajeel froze at the sound.

 _Her name is Levy._

So lost in his own thoughts, he failed to hear the door opening behind him, the same voice from within the library now trying to gain his attention.

"Can you hear me? I said I need your help!" Finally snapping back into reality, he turned around to find a tall, unfamiliar woman holding an unconscious Levy in her arms. "Can you take her to the nurse? I need to inform the headmaster about this." His eyes glued to his her face, he didn't even realise his hands were hovering over her motionless body, slightly shaking at the prospect of holding her.

"There's no need, I already know what's going on." From around the corner, his gruff voice called out as he approached them. Coming into view, Gajeel's hands dropped down behind his back, still shaking from the events. "Ms Honey, please take Miss McGarden to the nurse, I will deal with this boy." Shooting Gajeel a stern look, Gajeel turned around to find the librarians look turn from one of fear, to one of disgust.

"You… You did this to her?" Taking a step back, Ms Honey tightened her grip on Levy, hugging her to her chest as she moved away from Gajeel. "How… How dare you hurt her." Stepping away from him, she hurried down the hallway towards what Gajeel suspected was the nurse's office.

"You better come with me." Reaching out his hand, Makarov waited till Gajeel began to walk in front of him, knowing that each step was one he shouldn't be taking, not because he had done nothing wrong, but because he shouldn't have done anything in the first place. Finally outside the headmaster's door, he watched as Makarov opened the door and entered first, leaving Gajeel stood in the hallway alone for a few seconds. Looking around before entering, he swore he saw a glimpse of maroon hair sticking out from around the corner, like someone was watching him. "Enter." The voice beckoned for his presence from inside, with Gajeel complying to the his word. Shutting the door behind him, Makarov's hand gestured to the empty seat next to his desk, which looked miniscule compared to the one behind the desk that Makarov was seated on. Moving over to the chair, Gajeel sat down and looked Makarov straight in the eye, trying to play off his emotions.

"Whaddya want? I was just passing by that place." Folding his arms across his chest, he could feel his heartrate pick up slightly as he spoke.

"There's no point in lying to me, it will only make this worse for you." Moving his hand under the desk, Makarov retrieved a long, silver item and placed it down on the desk, sliding it forward towards Gajeel. "You and I both know what this is, or do I have to press play?" Looking directly into Gajeel's eyes, he watched him squirm slightly in his seat before sitting forward slightly.

"So what if I did it? Not like fights don't happen here at all, from what I've heard."

"Young man," Rising from his seat, he began walking around his large desk as he continued to talk. "There is a big difference between a fight, and punching a girl for no reason." Leaning back on his desk, he continued to make eye contact, despite their height difference now switching in Gajeel's favour.

"Whatever." Taking the words to heart, he repeated them in his head, each time it being like a stab to the gut. She didn't fight back. She didn't hit him. She did nothing. "Just give me my punishment or whatever, I'm hungry."

"Well, seeing as this is your first sign of bad behaviour, I shall place you on afterschool cleanup duty for the rest of this week, and write a strike in your notes." Moving back to his chair, Makarov flicked open one of the many files present on his desk, before scribbling down something as he let out a sigh. "You can leave now, don't think about leaving the premises when school ends."

"I get the afterschool stuff, but what's with the strike?" Moving to stand up, his hands grabbed onto the end of the desk as he leaned over in an attempt to see what the headmaster wrote down.

"My school works on a 3 strike policy young man, 3 strikes and you're out, understand?" Looking up for a split second, he caught Gajeel's eye before returning to his files. "Please shut the door behind you on your way out." Making a move toward the door, Gajeel placed his hand on the doorknob, slowly closing it behind him as he left, feeling strangely small in the empty corridor. Starting to walk down the long stretch of hallway, he attempted to reach into his bag to retrieve his lunch card, but was surprised to find he couldn't find it at his side.

"Crap, musta left it back in class." Turning on his feet, he quickly sprinted down the corridor towards the classroom, praying that the substitute teacher had already left for lunch. Seemingly, his prayers had been heard, as upon reaching the door, he found it to be unlocked with the room empty. Grabbing his bag from the back of the room, he made his way out of the classroom and started walking out into the hallway. Barely paying attention, he only just caught the voice calling out to him from the other end of the corridor.

"It's you.."

* * *

"She should hopefully wake up soon, then I can properly treat the wound." Her head feeling fuzzy, Levy could barely make out who was talking as she came to. Raising a hand up to her face, she tiredly rubbed her eyes, slowly adjusting to the bright light she was lying under.

"Oh thank goodness you're awake." A soft hand taking her own, her head turned slightly to the side, her half open eyes only just making out the librarians features.

"Ms… Honey? Where am I?" Her eyes finally adjusting to the light, she looked around at her surroundings, the plain walls becoming all too familiar.

"We're at the nurse's office, you passed out in the library so we brought you here." Moving her chair forward, she pushed a few stray strands of hair out of Levy's face and behind her ears, revealing small, flowery earrings. "That stupid boy.." Standing up, she spoke under her breath as she remembered why Levy was in that state in the first place.

"You mean.. The one with the piercings? He didn't hurt me." Pushing her hand into the sheet of the bed, her fingers twisted and twirled the fabric as she spoke, both of them knowing that she was lying.

"Well… I'm just glad you're safe, I'll be outside if you need me." Sending a smile Levy's way, it seemed to melt from her face as she turned towards the door and left.

"You shouldn't lie to us child, if somebody hurts you, then they need to be suitably punished for their actions." From the other corner of the room, the nurse spoke out as she grabbed bottles and bandages from her desk. "If you let them get away with it, they'll keep doing it." Placing her utensils down on the bedside table, she took a seat beside the bed, her hand softly gripping Levy's face between her fingers.

"It wasn't the same ones, and he already said sorry." Turning her face, she squirmed under the sting of the wipe pressed against her cheek. "I don't want him to be punished for me being stupid." Thinking back, she knew that she should've told someone where she'd be, even if they would oppose.

"You have too kind a heart child, now just relax, this bit might hurt." Grabbing a fresh cloth, she covered it with a strange looking liquid before damping Levy's cheek, the spots of dried blood disappearing from her skin. "There, now for the plaster."

"Do you maybe, have a spare one? Just in case this one falls off.." Her cheeks already a rose pink from blood, her thoughts only aided the growth of a evident blush.

"Alright, but just this once, and it's only for you." Grabbing an extra bandage from her box, the nurse placed one in Levy's palm, before placing the other across her cheek. As their conversation fell silent, a noise outside continued to grow. "What on earth is going on out there?"

"I think it's Ms Honey.." Sitting up slightly in the bed, Levy was sure she recognized her voice, seemingly shouting at a student outside. But, what she didn't expect, was to hear his voice reply back.

 _I want to see her._


	8. Lollipops and Lilies

"How dare you even ask to do such a thing." Her body pressed up against the wall, she stared down at him, his body not moving.

"Let me in, I want to see her." Putting a foot forward, he could see she felt threatened by his advance, his fingernails digging into the palms of his hands as they formed fists.

"Don't you dare threaten me young man! I am your superior." Crossing her arms across her chest, she swallowed the lump in her throat and continued to look directly into his eyes. "It's your fault she's in there in the first place, you need to leave."

"Not without seeing her, is she alright?" Seeing the worried look on her face, he started to fear the worst.

"Leave. She's already persistant on covering for you, she doesn't need you screwing up her life anymore." Turning around, her hand rested on the doorknob, her fingers gripping it tightly as she thought of the pain this boy had caused such a kind hearted girl, it was like he was her opposite.

"Can you at least… Nevermind.." She heard him speak behind her, before the sounds of footsteps moving down the hallway was the only thing she could hear, leaving her alone with her thoughts. Pushing the door open, her anger quickly melted away when she looked over to the bed, seeing Levy smiling away as she talked to the nurse.

"You were loud out there, please try to keep it down next time." Rising from her seat, the nurse scowled over at Ms Honey, but she knew that they both only had Levy's well being on their mind.

"Sorry, I had to deal with a student outside, he wanted to see Levy."

"Me?" Turning her attention to the door, Levy swung her legs over the side of the bed. She attempted to stand on her feet, but the effect of her unconscious state caught up to her, causing her to fall to her knees. Feeling hands immediately grasp on her shoulders, she felt tears start to form in her eyes, but she knew she had to hold them back. "I'm fine! I'm fine honestly!" Struggling to stand, she eventually found her way back onto her feet, her head still feeling slightly light headed.

"Who told you that you could stand? At least sit still on the bed if you're so insistent on not lying down." Levy felt useless as she slipped back onto the bed, but knew that the nurse would know what's best for her.

"Who was it at the door? Was it Lucy?" Struggling to put a smile on her face, she did her best to meet Ms Honey's eyes as she questioned her about the visitor.

"It.. Was that boy.. I told him to leave so don't worry about it." Patting Levy on the shoulder, Ms Honey sent her a smile, the ends faltering as she thought of him laying his hand on the girl.

"Oh… Well maybe I can see him later?" A soft smile formed on her face as the thought of facing him came into her mind.

"I'm afraid not, Levy." From behind the door, a males voice spoke out, silently crushing Levy.

"Good afternoon Headmaster." The women of the room chimed out as Makarov walked in through the door, his head hung low, yet his expression scornful. Looking up, his eyes fell on Levy's bruised cheek as she mustered up the courage to smile his way.

"I came to let you know that I've had a word with your parents about coming to pick you up, but they've said you'll most likely have to walk home. You have someone to walk home with correct?." Meeting her eyes, Makarov watched Levy squirm in place for a while, before looking back his way, a beaming grin on her face.

"Yes I do! I'll walk with Lucy!" Pushing a hand into her dress pocket, she gripped onto the plaster tightly, reminding herself that her lies would pay off.

"Good. How long will Levy have to stay in here for Porlyusica?"

"Not too long, when she can stand on her own two feet she's free to leave." Looking down at the child, Porlyusica sent her a reassuring smile, knowing that she would be right as rain pretty soon.

"Good, Ms Honey, could I have a word with you for a second?" Gesturing for her to join him in the corner of the room, Porlyusica took it as her cue to distract Levy.

"Here, take one of these, since you'll have missed lunch by now." Sorting around in a large drawer under her desk, Porlyusica eventually pulled out a red lollipop and handed it over to a gleeful Levy, watching as she unwrapped it neatly before plopping it in her mouth. Turning her head, Levy watched as Ms Honey and Makarov conversed in the corner, both with concerned looks on their faces.

"Gajeel's had his first strike and will be cleaning the cafeteria every day after school starting this week." Levy watched on as she managed to make out bits of their conversation, watching on as Ms Honey stormed out of the room, shortly followed by Makarov.

 _His name is Gajeel._

"Don't mind them child," Porlyusica moved over towards the bed and rested her hand on Levy's shoulder. "They just want to make sure you don't get hurt again."

"I know," Removing the sugary stick from her mouth, she looked up to the nurse and smiled. "I won't get hurt again I promise!" Moving to stand on her feet, her legs wobbled slightly as the soles of her shoes hit the floor. Managing to balance herself before falling again, she took a few cautious steps forward before running out the door, her hand waving behind her as she left.

"Be careful! I don't want to see you here again." Watching the door slowly shut in front of her, Porlyusica smiled at how energetic and full of life the girl was. Despite knowing exactly what she was up to, Porlyusica decided to let nature take it's course, knowing the child would make her own future.

* * *

"This sucks." Throwing the wet cloth down on the table in front of him, he looked around the room to evaluate how much he would have to clean before he could leave. Staring out the window, he scoffed as he watched girls giggle by, a few looking back at him and laughing. Remembering why he was there, he picked up the cloth and continued to wipe down the table from a strange, liquid like substance, it's foul aroma making it's way into his nostrils. Attempting to block out the odor, he loosened the tie around his neck and used it as a mask, his breath becoming heavy and upper lip starting to sweat as his hot breath became trapped between fabric and skin. Finally finishing the third table, he turned to walk back into the kitchen to wash his cloth, but was stopped when he laid his eyes on her.

"Hi.." Her voice was soft and timid, half of her body hidden behind the door as she spoke. He noticed that her face was clear and looked untouched, until she moved into full view. Her dress slightly creased, he noted the plaster strapped across her cheek, the skin around it a dark pink with spots of blue and purple. Gripping tightly on the wet cloth, sticky droplets of water dripped down his hand as he turned back toward the table.

"Go home." Pressing the cloth hard into the already clean table, he scrubbed away at the surface, ignoring the sound of soft footsteps on the hard floor.

"Why?" Her voice now closer behind him, he instinctively moved around to the other end of the table, her body now slightly in view as he continued to clean.

"Because… Just go home and let me clean." Looking back up, he saw her stood still across from him on the table, her hands forming small fists at her sides as she watched him.

"That's not what I was asking. Why did you do it." Standing firm in place, she watched him stand still for a second, his head facing the ground as she spoke. Eventually, he started walking away from her toward the kitchen, both his hands in fists at his sides like her own. Following after him, she leaned over the counter and just managed to make out his back near the sink. "I heard you say sorry, and I wanted to know why."

"Not everything needs an explanation, go home." His voice bit back in the distance, yet she could still make out some sort of pain in his words.

"If it's because of those boys in your year, I understand, they don't like me that much either." Twiddling with her fingers as she lowered her head, she waited for a response, but could only hear the sound of running water hitting against the sides of the sink. "I don't think violence is a good thing, because the person who will be hurt by it the most, will be you." With the sound of water lapping against the sink coming to a halt, she stood still, waiting for some sort of answer in the silence. "Well, I'm going now, but take this, you need it more than I do." Letting out a small laugh, she pushed a smile onto her face and started walking back toward the cafeteria door. "Goodbye, Gajeel."

Hearing the door close behind her, Gajeel moved his way out from the kitchen and into the dining room, surveying the area to make sure he was truly alone. Turning his head, he watched as a tuft of bright blue hair bounced by one of the windows, before disappearing out of sight. Looking back at the counter, he found himself staring at a small, white plaster that was covered in small flowers, just like the one across her cheek. Taking it between his fingers, he looked down at the small bruise forming over his knuckles, knowing that he would have to somehow hide it from his father. Shoving it into his pocket, he looked back out of the window again, rays of sun illuminating the empty room.

"Goodbye, Levy."


	9. Cats, Spats and magic

Shoving the key into the door, he heard strange noises emitting from within the house. Pushing the door open, he quickly shoved his right hand into his trouser pocket upon seeing his brother and father.

"Finally home then." His father called out as he disappeared into the kitchen.

"Yeah, what the hell is going on in here?" Dropping his bag off in the hallway and closing the door, he looked around to find the living room half in ruins, his brother's small ponytail sticking out behind the couch.

"I got a cat!" His brother's voice echoed out from underneath the couch, a small meow following on after.

"The hell you mean you got a cat?" Moving closer into the room, he hopped onto the couch with a large thud, making his brother shout in pain. Peering over the end, Gajeel watched his brother's face come into view, covered in scratches and small drops of blood. Lifting up his arms, Gajeel watched a small creature squirm between Rogue's hands, pained meows escaping it's mouth as his claws dug into the couch arm.

"Meet Frosch!" Grinning, Rogue held the small feline out towards Gajeel, causing him to back away slightly as the cat continued to scratch the air.

"You shouldn't name our dinner you know, you can't get attached to food." Falling off his knees and moving to sit down, Gajeel watched Rogue's happy look turn into one of fear.

"Daddd! We're not eating Frosch are we?" Hugging the small cat to his chest, his eyes began to water as the thought of his new friend becoming Fried Frosch scared him.

"Of course we're not eating him!" Their father yelled from the kitchen, his loud voice seeming to scare the cat as he cuddled into Rogue's chest. "He's so small, I could eat it in one bite!" The sound of laughter coming from the kitchen prompted Gajeel to follow suit as he fell back into the couch from laughter, his strange laugh mimicking that of his old man.

"Then we're keeping him, want to say hi, Gajeel?" Removing the small cat from near his chest, Rogue tried again to hold out the feline, it eyeing up the strange looking boy before him. Reluctantly withdrawing his hand from his pocket, he brushed it against the small tuft of fur atop the animals head; it responding back by nudging into his hand, a small purr coming from his stomach. "What's that?"

"What's what?" Gajeel continued to slowly stroke the feline as his brother watched on, his hands still holding onto the petite body of his new friend.

"The bandage on your hand, did you get hurt?" Realising what his brother was talking about, he quickly shoved his hand back into his pocket, standing from the couch and moving towards the door.

"It's nothing, just fell that's all." Grabbing his bag and hauling the strap over his shoulder, he started to head towards the stairs, his hand resting on the bannister as he began to ascend them.

"It had lilies on it." Rogue spoke quietly from the couch as he watched his brother place a foot on the first stair.

"So? Just a flower."

"Lilies are meant to represent friendship according to my friend, she said you give them to people you care about." Sending his brother a feigned smile, Rogue watched on as Gajeel's face scrunched up in thought, stopping his movements as he took in his younger brothers words.

"Anyway, I'm going upstairs, one word to dad and you're toast, your cat too." Eyeing up the small creature, he watched it stare back at him, before jumping out of Rogue's arms and off toward the kitchen.

"I won't. By the way, someone came here looking for you earlier." Watching Rogue squirm around in his pocket, he moved to his feet before walking over to the bottom of the stairs. "Said you have twenty four hours to contact him?" Handing over a small slip of paper, Rogue watched Gajeel quickly slip it into his pocket, his attention being torn back to the kitchen as he heard their father scream out for his presence.

"Maroon hair right? Kinda spiky." Gajeel replied as Rogue made his way over to the kitchen door, his hand resting on the wood as he turned to hear his brothers reply.

"Yeah. Look, you're not bringing trouble round here are you?" Barely managing to get his words out between the audible groaning of his father, Rogue managed to catch Gajeel's eyes before he was out of sight.

"No, I'm dealing with it alright." Waving off his brothers worries, he continued to walk up the stairs and out of sight, shutting his bedroom door as he made it inside his room.

His hand still pressed against the door, Rogue pushed it slightly and was surprised to see his father adorned in a long apron, accompanied by a large frying pan in either hand. Noting the small ball of fur bouncing around the kitchen, Rogue struggled to get the thought of his older brother off his mind.

Be safe.

* * *

"Oh my sweet baby!" Barely making it through the door, Levy was pulled into a tight grasp, her body squished up against that of her mother's. She had been holding back her tears since she awoke, and couldn't break down now. "I can't believe that school! I have half a mind to move you over to Sabertooth, at least they behave." Loosening her grip on Levy, Valentina's sadness soon turned into a bitter anger that consumed her face. Feeling her mother's grip loosen, Levy squirmed her way out of it, rising to her feet as she stood over her mother.

"Please don't! I love it at Fairy Academy, it's where my friends are!." Placing her hands atop her mother's shoulders, she felt her fingers dig into her soft skin slightly as she retaliated. "I want to stay!"

Seeing her daughter's eyes begin to water with fear, Valentina rose to her feet, taking Levy's hands in her own. "I'm not going to move you away, I just want the best for my little girl alright?" Moving her hands under Levy's shoulders, she raised her daughter into the air and spun her around, smiling at the giggles emitting from her wonderful child. No child deserved to be hurt in a place they felt safe, especially not her own child. She had been considering moving Levy over to Sabertooth for quite sometime, but she truly did want her little girl to be happy. Bringing her closer, she embraced Levy and smiled as she placed a soft kiss on her left cheek, her heart sinking as she looked at it's bruised counterpart. She wished she could have been there to stop it from happening, to remove all the cuts and bruises, alongside the tears and pain they brought their small family.

"Mum?" Staring deep into her mother's eyes, she seemed confused by the lack of response her mother was giving her, her eyes seeming to trail off to space. Cupping one of her cheeks in her hand, she felt the soft skin against her own brazen hands, untouched and pure, like nothing could hurt her.

"Hmm? Sorry, I was just thinking about something." Embracing her daughter's soft touch, Valentina smiled back at Levy and let her hand brush through her blue mane of hair.

"I was just thinking, do you think magic exists?" Grabbing a stray lock of her mother's deep sea like hair, she twisted it between her fingers, watching her mother contemplate the question at hand.

"I do, it's the thing that brought me and your father together." Her smile beaming from cheek to cheek, she watched as Levy's smile grew alongside her own. "Magic is all around us in the air, and makes love between others grow." Bending down and dropping Levy back onto the floor, she grabbed her hand and started leading her into the living room. "Magic isn't all about being able to fly or turn invisible, it's about happiness." Taking a seat down on the couch, she patted her lap and let out a tiny squeal when Levy jumped onto her lap in excitement.

"So if I'm happy, there will be magic?" Staring up in her mother's deep green eyes, she felt reassured when her cheeks began to glow a soft rose colour.

"Indeed there will! That's why our house is full of magic!" Tapping her finger on Levy's nose, she watched her laugh in glee at the gentle touch. Laughing between themselves, they barely even heard the door open across from them. Looking over, Levy jumped up from her mother's lap and sprang forward onto the familiar man at the door.

"Hey! What are my favourite girls up to?" Managing to drop his briefcase just in time, his arms stretched out to embrace his daughter, rising back up to stand upright as she clung to his body. His laughter soon quietened down as he looked over to his wife, her smile wavering as she watched him from the couch. Looking back at his daughter, he looked over her face properly, her usually rosey cheeks now yellow and purple, half covered in a band aid. "What happened here honey? His thumb lightly grazing over it, he felt the mood of the room shift as their laughter fell silent.

"I... Fell, maybe my shoes are too big for me now I'm growing up!" Clicking her shoes together behind his back, she pushed a smile onto her face as she looked his way. Noting the solemn look on his wife's face, he played along with the lie and smiled in compliance.

"Oh really? Well if you're growing up, I expect you to help with the bills and cleaning." Beginning to tickle Levy's sides, he laughed along as she squirmed in his grasp, her feet kicking into his back as she laughed. Dropping her down to the floor, he continued to laugh with her as he removed his jacket and placed it on the counter, his body and mind drained from work, but he would always summon all of his strength for his family. Watching her scramble to her feet and back to her mother, he gladly joined them as they squashed together on the small piece of furniture, his arm draping over the back and over Valentina's back. As music emitted from the television, he waited until Levy was preoccupied before looking over at his wife, their eye contact brief, yet it said more than any words could.

* * *

He hadn't moved for over an hour, letting the last of the sun's rays fall through his blinds and over his body, the only warming thing in his life right now. He wanted to rest, just fall asleep and wake up tomorrow like nothing had happened. But, with the noise downstairs, and the lingering doubt at the back of his mind made it hard for him to drift off to sleep. Delving into his pocket and pulling his phone out, he stared at the blank screen, his few contacts either downstairs or not the kind of people you contact for a quick exchange of pleasantries. Turning onto his side, he looked at the small piece of paper sitting atop his bedside table, it still folded and untouched. He didn't even need to open the paper to find out who it was, or what they wanted. Sitting up and swinging his legs over the side of the bed, his hand reached and grabbed the note, his finger running along the edge as he unfolded it. Dialing in the number, he pressed the phone to his ear, listening to the dial up noise for what seemed like forever.

"Yes?" His gruff voice eventually answered when he picked up the phone.

"It's me." He wasn't exactly sure if Cobra would recognize him but the short pause reassured him.

"And?"

"I'm in."


	10. Cleaning up Your Mess

"So, what did the old man say to ya then?" Gajeel had barely made it through the school gates before being welcomed by Cobra and his lackeys.

"Gotta clean some stuff, nothing really." Despite now being somewhat acquainted and seemingly gang allies, Gajeel still felt skeptical, after being set up to take the blame like that.

"Huh, guess the old man likes ya then. Anyway, now you're with us, he'll learn to fear you like the rest of this dump." Cobra managed to worm his arm over onto Gajeel's shoulder, pulling him along as they continued to walk towards the school building. Gajeel had never exactly been the one to converse with other students before school, only getting a few strange glares on the rare occasion. But today seemed different, there were eyes on him, but when he went to meet their eyes, they quickly looked down to the floor or moved away. Maybe they did fear him. Making it through the school doors, the atmosphere seemed the same, people casually walking through the hallways to class, barely noticing the world around them as the conversed between themselves. Making his way into the classroom, all eyes were on him, but not out of fear. Moving between the groups of students crowded around their desks, he made his way to the back of the room, dropping his bag down by his desk and casually sitting down in the chair, leaning back as he closed his eyes.

"Hey." Opening his eyes, Gajeel was greeted with the sight of red and white hair stood before him, one of them leaning their hands on the desk as the other girl scowled at him.

"Whaddya want?" Leaning forward so all four legs of the chair were back on the ground, Gajeel pushed his arms onto the table in an effort to move the girls, but with no such luck.

"We heard what you did to Levy in the year below yesterday." The second girls scowl turned into a look of pure anger as her hands formed fists at her side.

"Oh, yeah that.." Gajeel's arms fell back slightly as he remembered what had happened. He didn't want to remember doing such a thing, yet he would never forget it either.

"Don't. Do it. Again." Both girls leaned forward and stared him down, their eyes piercing his soul and making his stomach twist slightly. He'd never really seen a tough girl before, but maybe these two would be good for a fight sometime.

"Everyone, please take your seats." The familiar voice of their substitute teacher entered the room, everyone moving back to their seats accordingly as per commanded. Trying to avoid eye contact, Gajeel stared out at the window and into the hallway, the passing students doing nothing to help his boredom. Shades of brown, blonde and other colours passed by his view, but none were like the blue of her hair. He wasn't exactly sure what it was, but he felt like he could get swept away in the colour if he wasn't careful.

* * *

"Are you sure you should be in class today?" Lucy worriedly asked as she continued to eye up the bruise taking up half of Levy's face. Despite the looks they were getting, Levy simply kept on walking through the whispers towards the school building.

"It's fine honestly! My mum says it matches my hair nicely." Levy gave off a fake smile accompanied by laughter, but she couldn't stand it. The bruise itself stung her whenever she talked or tried to open her mouth too wide, but that wasn't the problem. She couldn't stand the way people continued to talk about it, to ask her if she was alright, like she was unable of handling herself. Maybe she wasn't exactly an adult yet, but she was smart, and people usually listened to her when she spoke about that sort of thing. But whenever her skin became bruised or bloody, people seemed to want to wrap her up in feathers or something. She needed to learn how to defend herself.

"Well, so long as we stay away from that guy in the year above, it'll be okay. Besides, I'm sure he'll get what's coming to him."

"You got that right!" Jet's voice entered the conversation as he and Droy caught up with the girls.

"We're gonna show him not to mess with you, or us!" Making their hands into small fists, they started to almost comically punch the air, angry looks on their faces as they demonstrated their moves. Despite the seriousness of their words, Levy couldn't help but giggle at their moment.

"It's fine honestly!" Waving her hands about in the air, she noticed their smiles fade into looks of sadness at her words. "He's being punished and it didn't hurt so forget about it."

"That's not just it though," Jet continued on as they started walking together again. "We want to protect you, you're our friend."

"I can protect myself just fine, you don't have to worry." Sending him a smile, he managed to feign a smile back as they dropped her off by the classroom door with Lucy. Walking inside,she attempted to raise her head proudly as she walked, almost as if the bruise was like some sort of fashionable item. But instead, it just earned her more looks of concern. Sliding into her seat, she couldn't help but stare out of the window at the trees in the distance, the morning's sun just barely lighting their trunks. Like the clouds in the sky, time seemed to pass by quickly right in front of her eyes.

* * *

A week ago, he wouldn't have cared about the seemingly constant food fights that occurred at lunch time, but now he was the one being forced to clean up after them, and it sucked. There were unidentifiable mushes stuck everywhere, even somehow defying gravity by being stuck up on the roof. But that wasn't his problem, not if he ignored it. Pretty much everyone besides the staff members had gone home, considering how quiet the halls seemed to be for once, but he couldn't help but feel like he was being watched by someone. Maybe he was just being paranoid. All day he had waited to hear something from Cobra or from one of his lackeys, but it almost seemed like he was avoiding him outside of their class. It's not exactly like he wanted any interaction with him at all, but he at least expected something from him about their new alliance of sorts. After what he was forced to do, he better get something out of it.

"What am I even expecting? A fucking badge?" He cursed out loud as he continued to scrub down the tables, the mysterious stains never seeming to fade.

"I don't think he works like that." A voice replied from out in the hallway. Turning around, he spotted her blue head of hair peeking out from behind the doorframe, a soft smile on her face as she moved inside the room.

"Then how does it work?" Not looking at her long enough to find out, he went back to cleaning, listening to her drop something down on the ground before taking a few steps.

"He'll talk to you when he needs you to do something, probably hurt someone again.." A heavy silence filled the air as they both became motionless, as if time had stopped completely. He had nothing to say apart from sorry, and he doubted she'd want to hear it. Looking around, he spotted just how much more he needed to clean, and reluctantly started moving to the kitchen to wash his cloth. Hearing the sound of light footsteps behind him, he sighed before turning around on the spot, almost making her bump into him.

"You shouldn't be back here."

"I want to help you, that way, it'll be done quicker." Sidestepping him, she walked over to the kitchen and began searching around for some kind of cleaning utensil, with no avail. After watching her search for a while, Gajeel walked over toward her and reached into one of the higher cupboards. Grabbing a rag, he rinsed it in water before leaving it on the side for her and walking back to the main cafeteria. Following behind him, Levy walked out of the kitchen and to a nearby table, happily wiping it as she hummed to herself. The pair silently cleaned for a few minutes before only a table was left.

"I never asked you." Gajeel began to speak as he started wiping the opposite end of the table from her.

"Hmm?"

"Why are you helping me clean? I'm the one that owes you really." Looking over at her, he was curious to see her stop cleaning and look back at him.

"Ah, I was hoping… You could walk me home? Not all the way! Just a little…" Going back to wiping the table, Gajeel watched her bow her head so her face was hidden behind her bangs, her breathing barely even audible.

"Because I'm a tough guy and you want a bodyguard? Is that why you want me to walk you home?" That seemed to get her attention. Lifting her head, her cheeks were flushed red as she seemed to stumble on her words.

"N-No! I can look after myself perfectly fine thank you very much." Picking up her cloth, she headed back into the kitchen, closely followed by Gajeel.

"Oh really? Then what about yesterday?" Without knowing it, Gajeel backed her up into the wall, so when she turned around, her face seemed to fill with fear.

"I… I don't know, but I'm not a little kid who needs someone to hold their hand." Staring up at him, she puffed out her cheeks as she locked eyes with him, his breath heating up her skin.

"Then why would you ask me to walk you home?" Taking a small step forward, his face was practically in hers as he watched her squirm. But she saw her chance and slipped under his arm and out of the kitchen. Rushing over to her bag, she took a deep breath before turning back to look at him.

"I'm not scared of you, and if you try to hurt me again…" Her sentence trailed off into thin air as they stared at each other, neither making a sound. "Nevermind, I just wanted to show you something on the way home and talk but it doesn't matter. See you tomorrow." Heading out of the door, she slid it closed behind her and headed for the exit, leaving Gajeel alone.

"The hell am I doing…" He questioned himself out loud as he dropped his cloth on a nearby counter. Cursing himself mentally, he grabbed his bag and headed for the door, barely able to make her out at the end of the hallway.

"Hey! Wait!"

* * *

 **Sorry for the late update! With my birthday and family stuff going on, I haven't had much time to do stuff but now I hopefully do :D Thanks for all the follows and reviews! By the way, a lot of people have asked about their ages - Levy is currently 10 and Gajeel just turned 12 before the story starts.**


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